


Crisis on Earth Ex

by ironicpotential



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But also Sanvers throughout, Choose Your Own Sanvers Adventure, F/F, Implied Sexual Content, Post-Break Up, endgame Sanvers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-06-27 01:58:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15675729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironicpotential/pseuds/ironicpotential
Summary: What if Alex met someone else from Earth 1 at Barry and Iris's wedding?





	1. Chapter 1

She shouldn’t have agreed to come. Running away from her problems by traveling to a whole different Earth seemed like a great idea when Kara had suggested it, but she clearly wasn’t thinking about the fact that they would be going to a wedding. A wedding like the one she just called off with the love of her life. Or former love of her life. 

She was kidding herself. Maggie Sawyer would always be the love of her life. She couldn’t possibly ever find another woman like that, nor did she want to. She still wanted it all with Maggie: the dog, the house, the poorly-loaded dishwasher, the kid… 

She took a swig of whisky and hunched back over the bar, swirling the remaining liquid around.  Through the mirrored backsplash, she watched as Barry and Iris and all their friends danced around, smiling and laughing, Kara among them. At least her sister knew people here, could forget her troubles for a night. Alex would only find comfort from the bottom of a glass.

“Danvers?”

Her heart leapt at the familiar voice and she fumbled with the glass in her hand, splashing a small amount of whisky onto her dress. She quickly dabbed it away with a cocktail napkin, eyes trained on the wooden bartop. She couldn’t look up because if she looked up, she would see Maggie’s reflection and she wasn’t sure she could handle that, tipsy and emotional as she was. 

She knew it wasn’t her Maggie. Not that she had any right to call the detective  _ hers  _ anymore. Not after the things she said, the bridges she’d burned. This was another Maggie. This Earth’s Maggie. 

She must have been silent for longer than she thought because Maggie was speaking again. 

“Look, I know things between us are weird, but I don’t really know anyone but Barry here.” 

Alex felt Maggie slide onto the barstool next to her. She knew from the shaky exhale that Maggie was tucking her hair behind her ear and squaring her jaw as if preparing for a battle, a nervous tic that was apparently common across universes. 

“Alex… Come on. Can we just please put aside-”

“I’m not her.” Alex knocked back the rest of her drink, the liquor burning down her throat, and set it down noisily on the bartop, cutting Maggie off. When Alex swiveled around on the barstool to face her, she was floored. Knowing that there was another Maggie at the party was one thing, but actually seeing her made her stomach twist. They were identical, right down the the dimples.

“What?” 

God, even that maddening head tilt was the same. What were the odds?

“I’m not her,” she repeated. “I’m from another Earth.” 

Revealing that information probably went against ten different rules of dimensional travel, but it’s not like anyone at the party ever followed protocol in that respect, so she couldn’t really bring herself to care.

“Well shit.” Maggie rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “So then the Kara over there?”

“Not from here either.” 

“I think I need a drink.” She signaled to the bartender, two fingers raised in the air. “Whatever she got, and a second for me.”

“Oh, no I’ve got a tab…” Alex protested. 

“Let me. You look like you’re about as happy to be here as I am.”

Against her better judgement, she accepted the drink, holding it up to tap against Maggie’s own. “Cheers.”

Maggie tipped the glass to her lips, smiling appreciatively at the flavor. “You’ve got good taste.”

“Different than you expected?”

Maggie shrugged. “The Alex Danvers I know prefers gin.”

Alex hummed, not really sure what to say to that. Luckily Maggie seemed perfectly happy to carry on the conversation.

“I knew something was up with this crowd.” 

“How do you mean?”

“I've always kind of suspected Barry was involved in some sort of vigilante shenanigans, you know,” Maggie said offhandedly. “The STAR Labs accident happened right before I left Central City, right?” 

She waited for Alex’s acknowledgement, but realizing from Alex’s questioning stare that she had no context, continued on, “Anyway Barry goes missing for nine months, then the Flash shows up.” She lowered her voice, leaning in close enough that Alex could smell her perfume - a spicy, musky fragrance she remembered all too well. “Suspicious right?” She pulled away and Alex almost moved to follow. “Plus, I mean, Green Arrow is here. Don’t try to deny it, he’s not subtle. That mask isn’t much of a disguise.” 

Alex snorted, glancing over her shoulder at Oliver, who was standing stiffly by the hors-d'oeuvres. “You said the same thing on my Earth. You’re a detective here?”

“I am.” Maggie grinned proudly, taking out her badge and placing it reverently down on the counter. “When I made detective, I was transferred to National City. I’m on their Anti-Meta-Human Task Force.”

“ _ Anti _ -Meta-Human?” 

“Relax, Danvers. It’s on the up and up.” Her smile was lazy and familiar and it made Alex’s heart thrum. “I take it your Kara is a meta-human too?”

Alex paused, not sure whether to reveal Kara’s secret. The Alex here on Earth 1, as Barry called it, clearly trusted Maggie enough to tell her about her own sister’s presumably secret identity, so it was probably a safe enough bet. And at the very least, she could always chalk it up to being drunk later.

“She’s an alien, actually.” 

“You’re kidding,” Maggie whistled, eyebrows raised. “Aliens. Now I’ve heard it all.”

She tapped her fingers on the bar, fidgeting in a way that her Maggie rarely did, and Alex wondered if this conversation was as awkward to her as she felt it was.

“So,” Maggie drawled, breaking the silence. “How do you guys know the happy couple?”

“Kara was invited. I’m her plus one. She and Barry are friends from  _ work _ ,” she emphasized. 

Maggie chuckled, catching on. Her grin was infectious and Alex had forgotten how easy it was to talk to Maggie. How comfortable it was.

“Gotta love the superhero crowd.” Maggie rolled her eyes good naturedly. “Every meta-human and their mother thinks they’re the next Flash in National City.”

It was so strange how similar they were in their ideals, this Maggie and her own. Her heart ached remembering all of the times Maggie would come home, frustrated and hurting when a suspect she’d caught was let go on a Supergirl-related technicality. She didn’t want to think about someone else soothing her ex after those slights.

She let the whisky wash away those thoughts, shuddering before turning her attention back to her companion. “So you wouldn’t ever consider vigilantism?”

Maggie quirked an eyebrow up playfully. “Could you really see me in a cape and tights?”

Alex blushed into her drink at the thought. The idea of any Maggie in a skintight outfit wasn’t the worst mental image she’d ever had. 

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, both just watching the partygoers in the mirror, occasionally catching the other’s eye.

Maggie cleared her throat, “So uh. Where am I? I mean. Your me? Are we…? I mean you’re here alone...” 

“Oh. Um. We aren’t. Not anymore.” 

“Oh.”

“Yeah…” 

Alex wasn’t quite sure which intoxicating substance was more responsible for loosening her tongue— the alcohol or Maggie’s presence— but she found herself opening up to the detective far too quickly. She wasn’t able to talk about the breakup at home. Kara was dealing with her own relationship woes and their trip to Midvale ended up being more helpful for her sister than for herself. She left feeling even more lost than she was when she arrived. 

The only other person she was ever comfortable baring her soul to was the person whose heart she broke. 

Alex gazed at her left hand, the tanline on her ring finger marking the place where her engagement ring once rested. “We were engaged but...I guess we didn’t want the same things in the end.”

“Same here.” Maggie ducked her head down, her fingers idly tracing the edges of the coaster under her drink. “I wanted kids. My Alex didn’t.”

Alex’s heart nearly stopped. 

“Neither did my Maggie,” she whispered.

The air between them grew heavy with the weight of their confessions. The coincidence was too much.

“Can I get you another drink?” Maggie spoke up, and Alex could have sworn her voice had lowered an octave. 

“I’d like that.” 

“So, Alex. What do you do?”

“Well, I’m a bioengineer by trade.” Alex let out a sigh of relief. She could do shop talk. It was easy. Impersonal. And they really needed to cut through some of the tension that had been building since Maggie sat down. “But most of the time I’m in the field.” 

Maggie leaned forward, propping her elbow on the bar. “That sounds rather vague. What, are you some kind of secret agent?”

“Something like that.” She flashed Maggie a small smile that she hoped didn’t look as flirtatious as it felt. She was supposed to be pulling away, not flirting more, but the way Maggie was looking at her was criminal.

“How many Earths are there then, Secret Agent Danvers?” 

“I’ve only been to this one. And to another planet once.”

“Jesus, the furthest I’ve traveled is National City.” Maggie shook her head in disbelief, then took a drink. “You would have loved that. Um. Other you I mean. Probably would have wanted soil samples…”

“I’m a scientist here too?”  

Maggie nodded. “Looks like some things don’t change. She’s probably spending a long night in the lab right now as usual.”

Alex placed a hand on Maggie’s arm comfortingly. Maggie smiled gratefully, then straightened up. 

“Hey, do you want to maybe go outside?” Maggie bit her lower lip and tilted her head towards the door to the back patio. “It’s a bit stuffy in here.”

Alex nodded, gathering her purse, and let Maggie guide her away from the bar with a hand on the small of her back. 

The patio was empty, save for one of the caterers that was having a smoke, and the cool fall air felt so refreshing. They had the entire patio available, but they huddled close together in the corner, out of sight of the revelers inside. 

Maggie took a deep breath in, exhaling slowly out. “You know what I’ve been thinking about?”

“Hm?” 

“I wonder how many of my experiences were the same. Here and on your Earth.”

Alex leaned up against the wall of CC Jitters and stared up at the strings of twinkling lights hung from above. The lights cast patterns on Maggie’s skin, giving her an ethereal glow. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”

Maggie hummed in contemplation, then smiled. “Did you parents still take you to Hawaii when you were eleven?”

Alex chuckled at the coincidence. “Yes! And I-”

“-wiped out on your surfboard and broke your leg!” Maggie continued. “Do you still have the scar?”

“Do you want to find out?”

Maggie stuttered at the dare Alex hadn’t realized the weight of. They locked eyes and the patio area suddenly felt ten degrees warmer. She hadn’t realized how close they were, but she could almost feel Maggie’s breath. 

Alex wanted to kiss her. She knew that much. She had wanted to kiss her since she walked up and joined her at the bar.

Her eyes darted down to Maggie’s lips, then back up. Maggie’s pupils were blown wide, giving Alex a confidence she didn’t know she had.

Maggie’s voice was shaky, “I’m not her.”

“No, you’re not.”

Alex closed the distance between them, a wave of relief and desire crashing over her as Maggie returned the kiss with equal passion. One kiss led to another. And then another. And then soon their whisky glasses were left abandoned on the patio table and Maggie had her backed up against the wall of the coffee shop. 

Maggie pressed heated kisses along Alex’s jaw and Alex had to fight to stifle a moan. 

“Let’s go somewhere,” Maggie whispered into her ear. “I have a room?”

All Alex could manage was, “Please.”

* * *

She woke up slowly, feeling more content than she had in ages. 

The sunlight streaming in from the window bathed her in warmth, and the familiar weight of an arm slung low across her waist grounded her. She closed her eyes again as her bed partner pulled her closer, the small puffs of air on the back of her neck a gentle reminder that she wasn’t alone. The world felt slightly fuzzy in the way it always did after they spent the night together.

It couldn’t last though.

This wasn’t her life, this wasn’t her Maggie. 

But she was weak, allowing herself just a few moments to entertain the  _ what if’s  _ before she needed to get up and pretend that she wasn’t a shell of her former self.

Maggie let out a small snore - another subtle difference that both filled her with affection and loss. She carefully slipped out of bed, watching as Maggie frowned in her sleep before burrowing back into the blankets with a sweet sigh. Alex gathered the discarded clothing from the night before, zipping her dress back up. She headed for the hotel room door, hesitating for a moment with her fingers on the handle before her heart tugged her back over to Maggie. She took a pen and a sheet from the notepad in the nightstand drawer, scribbling out a short note before placing it under Maggie’s wallet and pressing a kiss to the corner of Maggie’s mouth. 

It wasn’t until she got back to Joe West’s house that she realized she’d left more than a note in Maggie’s hotel room.

* * *

Kara was already at the church when she got there. It had taken her longer to cover up all the hickies on her neck than she thought it would. She honestly would have preferred to leave them, they were reminders that her night with the other Maggie weren’t a whisky fueled dream, but showing up to a wedding like that would have been tacky. Plus, her dress had already drawn attention to herself from Kara’s blonde time master friend, and she didn’t want to encourage _ that  _ further.

Kara greeted her with a frown. “Well look what the cat dragged in.”

“Kara, can we not do this right now?” Alex begged. 

Unfortunately Kara was on a roll. “Why didn’t you come back to Joe’s?”

“I was out.” 

Alex brushed her hair out of her eyes, running her fingers through her hair, hoping she looked a little presentable. 

“Out doing what?” Kara crossed her arms in front of her chest, standing firm. “You had me so worried! We’re on a different Earth, you can’t just… disappear!” 

“I didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have done on our Earth.” Alex waved off her concern. “It was fine, I’m fine.”

“Hey.” 

Both Danvers women turned towards the new voice and Alex was struck dumb. There was Maggie, wearing a gorgeous blue dress that reminded Alex of that night they spent taking down the alien fight club. She knew they weren’t together then but she often thought of that secretly as their first date. Her hair was elegantly styled, falling in waves over her shoulders. She looked beautiful and from the look on her face, Maggie thought Alex looked beautiful too.  

“Hi, Maggie,” Alex said quietly. It should have been awkward, the morning after, but it just felt so right.

Maggie moved to touch Alex’s arm but stopped halfway, not quite sure where they stood. “How are you doing?”

“Oh um. Good. Good. Just, you know. Weddings.” Alex bit her lip and glanced down shyly. 

Maggie smiled softly. “Yeah I know. Um. Thanks for the note this morning, it was sweet.”

Alex shrugged one shoulder, waving her hand in the air as if to say it was nothing. She could feel her sister next to her, eyes darting back and forth between herself and Maggie, clearly wanting an explanation. 

Maggie cleared her throat awkwardly, breaking the spell, and scratched the back of her neck. “Okay, well. I’ll see you inside.”

Alex gave her a wave, staring her retreating figure as she disappeared up the stairs and into the church.

The minute Maggie was out of earshot, Kara rounded on her sister. “ALEX.”

“Kara, don’t.” Alex held up her hands in defense.

“Alex you  _ didn’t _ .”

“I did.” She rubbed at her upper arm awkwardly. “Multiple times. All night I think.”

Kara was incredulous. “You came here to get over Maggie, not to get under another one!”

Alex ran her hand through her hair. “I know, Kara.”

“Does she even know?” Kara leaned in, whispering dramatically. “About… the other Maggie?”

“Yes she knows. It’s… It’s complicated okay.”

“Are you okay though?”

She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. That was a good question. Was she? She’d kissed Maggie. She’d  _ slept _ with Maggie. She knew she didn’t regret it. That wasn’t the issue. So what was the issue? Shouldn’t she feel some sort of guilt? She was single. It was a hookup at a wedding— an incredibly hot hookup— but a hookup nonetheless. She’d just done what any single lesbian would do. 

“I’m… I don’t know.” 

Kara hugged Alex tight, seemingly aware of the storm of emotions running through her sister’s head. “It’s gonna be okay.” 

Alex returned the hug, grateful for her sister’s support. “Thanks.”

“So, if there’s another Maggie on Earth 1, does this mean there’s another me?” Kara grinned, back to her usual sunny self. “Barry said he couldn’t find one!”

Alex smacks her in the arm. “Maybe Earth 1 Kara is better at hiding her secret identity then.” Alex taps her glasses playfully and Kara swats her hand away.

They both giggle before heading inside.

* * *

The wedding was beautiful. It was everything she wanted for her own wedding. She and Maggie had even planned for Kara to sing, and she wondered if Kara gave a thought to that as she stood up there. It’s really a pity Barry and Iris didn’t have the same contingency plans in case of mid-nuptial alien attack that she and Maggie did. They really could have used DEO agents stationed at all the exits.

To her credit, Earth 1’s Maggie didn’t even bat an eye when a bunch of Nazis burst into the church. She just reached under her dress for a gun strapped to her thigh (boy was it absolutely not the right time for Alex to find that so hot) and ducked behind a church pew, firing shot after shot at the intruders as Wally West rushed the other civilians out of the church. 

Barry tried to get Maggie to leave as well so that he could change into his own costume, but she flat out refused, leveling him with a stare that could have melted stone. She fought her way over to Alex, who could only gape as Maggie ripped the seam of her dress to be able to deal a swift roundhouse kick to a man nearly a head taller than she was. 

Over the deafening volley of bullets, Maggie watched as Alex quickly dispatched two Nazis and whistled appreciatively, “Wow, Danvers, you weren’t kidding about the secret agent stuff!”

Alex whacked the third guy she was grappling with in the face with the butt of her pilfered rifle, and tossed the downed combatant’s weapon to Maggie with a wink. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

Supergirl managed to take down the strange Kryptonian and the invaders fell back, disappearing back from whence they came. In the back of the church, Alex held down a struggling black clad figure as Maggie slapped a pair of handcuffs on him. 

“So I guess I’m not going to be able to take this guy in to the station, huh?” Maggie breathed heavily, stepping back and wiping the sweat from her brow. 

“Probably not, no,” Alex laughed. “That would be quite the report.”

It felt so familiar, standing with her like that, sweaty but smiling after a battle. Her fingers twitched, longing to pull Maggie in by the waist. The memory of last night was still fresh and she ached to take her back to her hotel room to celebrate their victory.

“You know, when I worked for CCPD, I always wondered what happened to all the meta-humans The Flash took down.” Maggie’s hands rested on her hips and she shook her head. “Guess I’m about to find out.”

Barry walked up, smiling sheepishly. “No chance of you just forgetting all of this happened?”

“Not a one, Allen.” Her laugh is deep and rich as she slugs him in the shoulder. 

“Welcome to the club, Maggie.” 

Barry sped off with their captive, leaving Alex alone with Maggie, the tension seeping back in. She just needed to talk to her. To figure out what was going on between them. Was it just the remnants of their own failed relationships? Was the wedding dredging all of that back up? Or was there something between  _ them _ — between herself and  _ this _ Maggie?

“Do you—” “We should—” they both spoke at once.

Alex scratched at the fine hairs on the back of her neck, Maggie’s light laughter clearing the air. 

“You go first,” she said with a wave of her hand, giving Alex a soft smile.

“I just wanted to see if you’d want to—” 

“—I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Her sister cut in, rushing over in full superhero glory. “Are you okay?

Alex knew Kara was only looking out for her, but she cursed her all the same. “I’m fine, Kara.” 

“We’re going to STAR Labs to regroup, I’ll fly us there?”

Alex nodded, looking back at Maggie, a question on her face. She wasn’t ready to part ways just yet.

“I know where it is, I’ll meet you.”

* * *

Their victory was short lived. 

They were taken through a portal, to a world much like their own, but wrong. So very, very wrong.

She was stuck with a team of near strangers, her sister taken somewhere by her own evil doppelganger. Her sister was in danger— might already be dead even— and there was nothing she could do. The only comfort she had was Maggie’s hand holding her own, firm and steady. She refused to leave Alex’s side, taking her face into her hands and promising they’d find Kara together. 

Alex wanted to believe her, but as they stood next to each other, facing the firing squad, she wasn’t so sure. 

Maggie squeezed Alex’s fingers and Alex stared straight on. 

At least if they died, they would die side-by-side.

* * *

But they didn’t. 

Somehow they made it out alive. 

Kara was safe and they were going home. Back to Earth 38. Back to her old life.

And as Kara said goodbye to all of her friends, Alex held tightly to Maggie, to the woman who stood by her on foreign soil, and it felt like losing her all over again.


	2. Chapter 2

She had stayed in a motel for a while after the breakup. It wasn’t terribly expensive and honestly, she had been hesitant to find a new place, hoping that Alex would call her, tell her she still loved her, and that she had changed her mind. It was a childish fantasy— the kind of sappy bullshit one might find in those romantic comedies that Kara loved so much— but she had hoped all the same.

After two weeks though, she gave up hope and rented a small apartment not far from the precinct. It was nicer than her first apartment in National City, but it still wasn’t in a great neighborhood.  Unfortunately, it was all she could afford with her detective’s salary.

It was fine though. It’s not like she spent that much time there anyway. She'd taken to later nights at the precinct, drinking the stale coffee and working on cold case files into the wee hours of the morning.

She couldn’t bear to step foot in the alien bar anymore. It used to be a safe place for her, but it wasn't the same without Alex. They’d made too many memories there together. Too many late nights spent flirting and making silly bets over games of pool. Too many soft, sweet kisses and happy hours spent laughing with their friends.

Not that any of their friends frequented the bar anymore either. M’gann was still on Mars and she hadn’t seen James and Winn in weeks, despite their promises to stay in touch. Even Brian hadn’t been at his usual stool at the bar lately.

Instead, after her captain practically forced her to leave her desk, she went to the cop bar on 32nd. Not a particularly nice place by any means, but the drinks were cheap and she had a budget to keep. She sat in a dimly lit corner of the bar, at a booth with grimy plastic seats, and drowned her sorrows in a glass of beer. A tall blonde officer she vaguely recognized tried to buy her a drink, but she turned her down. She was maturing, she supposed. After the breakup with Emily, she’d gone on a bender. She drank too much, slept with too many women, and woke up hating herself even more. After Alex… Well. She wasn’t sure there would be an _after Alex_. Alex Danvers was it for her.

She finished up her drink and went home alone.

She didn’t expect Alex to be waiting in the hall, but there she was, leaning up against the door, and Maggie couldn’t help the tiny bit of hope that sprung up within her. She jumped to chastise herself, extinguishing the small embers still burning within her. Alex being here meant nothing. Nothing had changed. She might have still wanted Alex, but Alex wanted more.

She’d never seen Alex that withdrawn though.

So, even though her brain was screaming at her not to, Maggie invited her in.

They sat on opposite ends of Maggie’s couch, a glass of wine in hand. Maggie had so many things she wanted to say to Alex, but they were all rooted in anger and hurt, so instead she stewed, waiting for Alex to speak her mind.

Alex heaved a deep sigh. “I’ve just come from another Earth. Multiple Earths actually.” She huffed out a laugh, full of frustration and… something else.

She looked like she wanted to say more, so Maggie just refilled her glass, sliding just a bit closer to her. Close enough to provide comfort if wanted. If needed.

“What happened?” she prodded softly.

Alex closed her eyes and leaned her head back, her brow furrowed. “Kara always made going to other Earths sound so _fun_ , do you remember?”

She did remember. Kara had always likened it to the time she and Alex took a road trip to Canada with their parents. Vancouver was so similar to California that if she didn’t know any better, she would have figured they’d never left home at all. But the more time they spent there, the more she noticed the little things that were different. Like a scavenger hunt in Highlights Magazine.

Alex rubbed her eyes tiredly and Maggie wondered if she even slept before she came over.

“Is everything okay?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. There were Nazis, Maggie. And a Kara that wasn’t _Kara_ . And then they took our - _my_ \- Kara and…” she trails off, massaging her temples. “And then I met _you_.”

“What?”

“Another Maggie. She was…” Alex bit at her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

Maggie set her wine glass down on the coffee table and turned to face Alex fully. “Did something happen to me? Uh. To her?”

Alex choked out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob. “No, no she’s alive. She’s. God, Maggie she was just like you and I…”

Oh.

_Oh._

Maggie felt a stab of jealousy.

“You move on quick.”

Alex shook her head furiously. “No, Maggie it wasn’t like that.”

“But you slept with her.”

Any and all sympathy she had felt towards Alex before was gone, replaced with the sick feeling of bile in her throat.

“I did.” Alex slumped forward, covering her face with her hands. She was trembling, but Maggie could barely even look at her.

“What the fuck, Alex?”

Alex was crying now, the sobs racking through her body. “I know, I know.”

“So you just came here to what, to hurt me?” She got up from the couch and paced around her small living room. She couldn’t be near Alex, she had to put some distance between them. “That’s fucked up. It’s fucked up and you know it.”

“She left _her_ Alex.”

She turned back towards a teary-eyed Alex, her hands on her hips, incredulous. “And that’s supposed to make it okay?”

“They broke up over kids,” Alex whispered.

And with the reminder of why Alex left her, the thoughts running through her mind came screeching to a halt.

“The other Maggie…”

“The other _Alex_ didn’t want them,” Alex clarified

Suddenly she had an inkling of why Alex was there. It was all coming together, like some weird, fucked up interdimensional puzzle. She knew how Alex’s mind worked.

Alex pulled a device out of her pocket and set it on the table. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

Maggie sat back down on the couch, staring at the object with both fascination and trepidation. She shook her head. “You’re crazy.”

“I know.” Alex’s voice was quiet. Raw.

“You can’t go back there. Kara would lose her mind. And your mother…”

“I know.”

“So you want me to talk you out of this?”

“I don’t know.”

“Alex. You have to say something-”

But Alex had nothing to say. She kept her eyes trained on the floor and a lone tear trickled down her cheek. Maggie sighed, sliding closer to her on the couch and wrapping an arm around her. As angry as she was with Alex… she didn’t know what else to do. It was clear that this was tearing Alex up inside.

Alex made no move to resist as Maggie guided her head to rest on her shoulder. Maggie ran her hand through Alex's hair as she quietly sniffled, her silent tears staining the cotton of Maggie's shirt.

“Why don’t I hold onto it for a while?” 

“What?” Alex’s voice trembled.

“I’ll hold on to _that_ —” she repeated, indicating the device with her free hand, ”—and then we can meet up again in a few days to talk. Noonan’s maybe? Just to give you a day or two to think about it.”

Alex pulled back, wiping a lone tear from her cheek. “W-why are you doing this?”

“I think…” Maggie paused, trying to find the right words. “I think you came to me for a reason. Despite everything that has happened… I think if it were me… You'd be the only one I'd trust with something like this.”

* * *

They parted amicably that night, but Maggie was too wired to sleep.

She laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling fan, trying to make sense of all the thoughts running through her mind. The device sat on her bedside table, but it felt like an elephant in the room.

She had been so heartbroken, so _angry_ after the breakup. Not with Alex. Never with Alex. She could never fault the woman for wanting a family. Not when they had never actually discussed their visions of their future together. She should never have said yes to the proposal. Not because she didn’t love Alex— she was so in love with Alex Danvers it hurt— but because it was too soon. She’d let herself get caught up in the romance and the fantasy. Alex had felt so right.

She still wondered how everything ended up so wrong.

She sighed, folding her arms behind her head. The alarm clock beside her read 4:00. She supposed it was as good a time as any to start the day. She wouldn't be getting any sleep anyway.

She dragged herself out of bed and padded to the kitchen in her worn joggers and one of Alex’s old Stanford shirts that she never returned, partly out of laziness, partly out of sentimentality. It still had a stain from when she’d spilled red wine on it while they were looking through wedding magazines and Alex got a little handsy. She swallowed the lump in her throat and spooned coffee grounds into the coffee machine.

As she sat at the small card table she’d set up in the dining room area, she wondered what Alex was doing right about now. Was she sleeping soundly? Dreaming about her dalliance with the alternate version of herself? Did they get some sort of sick pleasure out of the thought that it was like a second chance at a first time?

No. She couldn’t go down that rabbit hole. It would only lead to self-hatred.

Instead she let her thoughts wander to the other Alex. The one that hadn’t wanted kids either. What was her life like? Did she also lie awake at night, feeling like she wasn’t good enough?

Maggie had so many plans for her life with Alex. She’d wanted to marry her, get a dog, go on a wonderful, romantic honeymoon… She’d even talked to both J’onn and her own captain about using up the weeks of vacation time they had both accrued to travel the world. The travel brochures were still burning a hole in the drawer of her desk at the precinct.

She slid down further in her chair, arms folded across her chest, the steady dripping of the coffee machine echoing through her head. In a few hours she would get dressed, head in to work, and make pointless small talk with the other detectives before coming back to her shitty apartment to drink herself into oblivion. That wasn’t how she wanted to live her life.

She heaved a sigh, pulling out her phone and shooting off a text to Alex.

Alex quickly replied back. Clearly her mind was also still buzzing with the implications of their earlier conversation.

They agreed to meet in two days.

Maggie then made a quick call to her captain, requesting a sick day.

She needed to get some of her affairs in order.

* * *

“I’m sorry I’m late. Kara wouldn’t leave me alone about where I was going.”

Alex breezed into Noonan’s and settled in the booth across from Maggie.

Maggie chuckled. “I guess you couldn’t really tell her you were meeting with me to discuss your plans to skip town.”

“No, I guess not.” One side of Alex’s mouth quirked up.

A waitress came to take their order and they both settled in their booth, neither sure of where to begin.

“Look I’m… I’m really sorry about the other night.” Alex looked sheepish, her head ducked down.

Maggie waved it off. “Really it’s fine. I understand.”

Their drinks arrived and Maggie took a quick sip of her coffee, thanking the waitress for the speedy delivery with a nod.

“I just. I didn’t mean to get so worked up.” Alex explained, looking down at her drink. “Honestly I’m really embarrassed about how emotional I was.”

“Oh hey, no, it’s okay—”

“Please, Maggie, just. Let me finish?” Alex cut her off softly. “I just. I just have something to say.”

Maggie nodded for her to continue.

“I just. Thank you. I wanted to say, thank you. I think I got caught up in the what if’s.” Alex gazed out the window wistfully, watching as a young girl skipped along outside, tugging her mother along with her. “But you were right. I can’t go to another Earth. I have too many responsibilities.”

She breathed a sigh, turning her attention back to Maggie, continuing on. “I mean, someone has to keep Kara out of trouble, right?”

Alex shrugged, resigned to her fate, and picked at the foam on her latte with a spoon. They sat quietly, the clinking of glasses and the whirring of the espresso machines at the coffee bar filling up the empty space.

Maggie tilted her head to the side, considering her options. 

She'd always had a niggling fear in the back of her mind that one day she wouldn't be enough for Alex. That she'd finally decide that Maggie was right in the beginning and once the shininess wore off, she'd see that she could do better. Maggie had expected that the breakup would hurt— she felt its sting like a knife through the heart— but the fact that the woman that Alex jumped into bed with was another version of her? That took the knife and twisted it.

But, despite the pain, she loved Alex. She loved Alex Danvers more than anything. And that meant that as much as it hurt her, she wanted Alex to be happy. Alex deserved to be with someone who could make her happy, who could give her all of the things that she couldn't. And if that person was another Maggie Sawyer...? 

She had been teetering on the edge of a decision for the past few days, but she still needed some more information.

“Tell me about Earth 1.” Maggie said quietly. 

Alex didn’t know much truthfully. Maggie’s other self apparently also worked at the NCPD, but there wasn’t a science division. In fact, there weren’t even aliens on Earth 1, which surprised her. And since there weren’t any aliens…

“What did the other Alex do?” Maggie asked, “if there’s no need for a DEO…?”

“Oh, she’s a scientist. For a meta-human research facility of some kind. She’s an NCPD liaison.” Alex frowned. “The other Maggie didn’t say much about her. Just that she’s always working”

As Alex droned on, Maggie thought about her life in National City. She had spent so many years trying to find a new home for herself after her parents kicked her out. She had made a few friends in Gotham, but the city was too dark and dangerous for her liking. National City was much more her speed and helping the alien population gave her a purpose. And then she met Alex and she thought maybe she had found that new home. But maybe… Maybe it wasn't the  _right_ home. 

“What if it was me?” she murmured, interrupting Alex’s rambling.

Alex stared at her, mouth agape, stunned. “What?”

“You said it yourself. You have too much to lose here.” She shrugged. “It has to be me. I’ve got nothing.”

“That’s not true! You’ve got James and Winn and all your coworkers…”

“This Earth, this National City. It needs you.” Maggie managed a small smile. “And hey, I always said I wanted to travel, right? Guess I won’t need the passport for this though.”

Alex’s eyes brimmed with tears. “You’re serious?”

“I’m serious,” she confirmed. “Now what do we have to do?”


	3. Choose Your Own Sanvers Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choose your own Sanvers adventure time.

If you’re here for a classic Earth 38 Alex/Earth 38 Maggie ending, **continue on to chapter 4** for Crisis on Earth Ex Part 3 (Original Flavor).

If you’d like to read an Earth Swap ending, **skip to chapter 5** for Crisis on Earth Ex Part 3 (Earth Swap Edition).


	4. Part 3 - No Earth Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part 3 of Crisis on Earth Ex (Earth 38 Alex/Earth 38 Maggie edition).
> 
> If you'd rather read the Earth swap, skip this chapter and continue on to chapter 5.

Maggie seemed set in her decision, but Alex couldn’t help but be plagued with doubt. 

Maggie didn’t know that she knew, but Kara had told her exactly what lengths Maggie was willing to go to in order to free her from the tank. And here she was again, playing the self-sacrificing hero, willing to uproot her entire life and start anew— on a completely different Earth no less— just so that she could have a chance at happiness. 

She hadn’t slept at all. She just kept going over their entire breakup in her head, over and over until the morning sun was peeking over the horizon. 

She wanted to call it off. 

She wanted to run to Maggie and apologize for even bringing it up. 

She wanted to beg Maggie to take her back.

But when she saw Maggie the next morning, Maggie was grinning, practically bursting with excitement at the prospect of seeing another Earth for herself, and Alex’s heart fell.

“I see you’re ready to go.”

“I am. I did a lot of thinking last night and I think this is really for the best.” Maggie stuffed her hands into her pockets and shrugged. “I think we both deserve happiness, or at least a chance at it. And maybe it’s just a case of… Right person, wrong Earth?”

Maggie’s smile seemed free, effortless even. 

Alex searched her face for any sign of regret or hesitancy, but found none.  

Maybe Maggie was right. Maybe they were doing the right thing.

* * *

It had been a week since they got back from Earth X. 

One week and Maggie still hadn’t been able to wrap her head around everything that happened.

Sure, she has had some run-ins with the weird working for the NCPD. Not all meta-humans had useful powers like super speed or strength after all. Just last week, she and her partner arrested a bank robber who was able to liquify himself in order to slip into the vaults undetected. She really thought she’d seen everything. But then at the wedding… Aliens. Nazis from another Earth. And then seeing Alex… 

A lump formed in her throat and her fingers twitched. She had a bottle of whiskey in the bottom drawer of her desk, but 10 am was slightly too early to start drinking, even if it’s all she wanted to do. Instead she grabs a cup of the sludge the uniformed officers call coffee, hoping the warm drink will be enough to help her focus. She just needed to stay busy.

She was just finishing up some paperwork on a closed case when one of the junior detectives shouted over to grab her attention, “Hey Sawyer, your ex is here!”

Maggie looked up from the file folder, confused. Why would Alex be at the station? While Alex  _ was _ the NCPD liason at the Meta-Human Research Institute, lately she had been sending her assistant to pass on information so that they wouldn’t have to work together. They hadn’t even texted since the breakup. Alex had made it quite clear that she wasn’t ready to see her when she sent Kara to pick up her stuff from Maggie’s apartment instead of going herself.

But there she was, standing by the reception desk holding two cups of coffee, eyes darting around the precinct nervously. Maggie met her gaze and before she realizes it, she’s standing in front of Alex. Not her Alex. The other Alex. 

“You’re here?” She looked Alex up and down. “Can you be here?”

The other Alex gave her a pained smile. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

She looked over at the empty conference room.

“No, somewhere more private…” Alex trailed off. “I… I brought my- um- the other you…”

“Oh. OH. Yes. Let me just get my things. We can go to my apartment.”

* * *

The other Maggie’s apartment was nice— and fully furnished— which was more than she could say of her own rat-trap in National City. 

Maggie ran her hand across the books on the shelf, brimming with detective novels she too had enjoyed in her youth. They had similar taste in decor it seemed too, save for the small potted succulents on various surfaces. 

“I love the aesthetic of plants, but I don’t have a lot of time to care for them.” The other Maggie noticed her examining one of the cacti on a shelf. “They’re low maintenance.”

Maggie nodded, but she couldn’t say she agreed. Her bonsais might require a lot of care, but they were also calming. 

She looked back at Alex, still standing uncomfortably by the door.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I just—” she glanced between them both, standing side by side, “I just. I can’t.”

“I saw a coffee bar downstairs. If you need a minute.” Maggie was at her side in a second. Her Earth 1 doppelganger looked on in concern. “I can handle this.”

“Are you sure?” Her eyes darted back and forth between them.

“Yes.” She flashed Alex a comforting smile. “I’ve got this. Take your time.”

Alex practically bolted out the door and all the air in the room seemed to rush out with her. Honestly, Maggie couldn’t blame Alex for needing a moment to compose herself. She’d been… increasingly agitated since they left Earth 38 and Maggie wasn’t quite sure if it was just nerves or cold feet or what. 

The other Maggie motioned for her to join her in the living room, handing her a glass of scotch. She lifted her glass to tap its twin and took a long sip, letting it calm her own nerves.

The other Maggie settled down on the couch as well, resting her ankle on her other knee. “It’s funny. I knew, meeting Alex, that there was another me, but seeing it is…”

“It’s a trip.”

“God it really is.” 

They both chuckled, but it was stale— forced almost— and died down quickly, leaving them in silence once more.

The other Maggie held up a hand and Maggie met it with her own, comparing the size. Exactly the same. Like looking in a mirror. Same dimples, same tanned skin, same everything, right down to the way they did their hair.

She glanced around the room again, looking for something to stir up conversation. There’s a degree from The University of Omaha, a xerox copy of the one that used to hang in the living room she shared with Alex on Earth 38. 

The other Maggie followed her gaze and snorted. “I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Graduated a year early. I wanted to go to school further away, but… Scholarship.”

“Same…” Omaha may have been in a college town, but it was still in Nebraska. “Did… Did they?”

The other Maggie seemed to read her mind. “Yes. When I was fourteen. You?”

“Yeah.”

“You ended up in National City though. Alex said you’re a detective too.” 

The other Maggie nodded, but remained silent. The mention of Alex seemed to sober them both. Better to just rip off the bandage.

“So you’re probably wondering why we’re here.”

“Well I didn’t think it was a family reunion.” 

Maggie tapped the toe of her boot on the floor, trying to quell the nervous energy building up inside. “Alex uh. Told me what happened.” 

“Ah.” 

“I’m not mad.” Maggie assured her.

“You’re a better person than me.” 

Maggie considered her doppelgänger. “You would be?” 

“Yes? No? I don’t know. I’m not sure what I would do.” She rubbed at her temples, eyes closed. “I never thought this kind of thing would even happen, but here we are.”

Maggie sighed. She’s not sure what to say to that.

“I am sorry though.” She looked back over at Maggie. “I’ve had some time to think about it. I was just…” She waved her hand about the air, unsure.

“It was a rough breakup. For me too.” Maggie finished.

“Yeah and I just. God I missed her so much and there she was.” The other Maggie shook her head, a wistful smile on her face. “It seemed too good to be true.”

Maggie chewed at the inside of her cheek. Would she have been a better person? Or would she have done the same. She’s not sure.

Clearly the other Maggie has been beating herself up over it.

“What if it could be true. What if you could be with her?” 

“It’s not that easy.” 

“It could be. I could stay here and you could—” 

“Wait, what?” The other Maggie cut her off abruptly. “Are you. You want to switch?”

“Yeah, I thought… That was pretty clear. I can’t give her what she needs, but you could.”

“No.”

Maggie was baffled. She was giving this Maggie a chance at happiness with Alex. 

“I don’t… Listen if… If going to that hellscape taught me anything it’s that life is too short. And you should kiss the girls you want to kiss. And I just. I want  _ my  _ Alex. The things we did together, the things we shared… They might look the same, share the same name, even had some of the same experiences, but...”

“But deep down they’re not the same.” 

Maggie knew that she was right. She and Alex had been through so much together— the alien fight club, all those dates in the bar slowly falling in love over silly bets, the frantic search for Alex when she was kidnapped… All of the firsts they’d talked about late at night or early in the morning as they lay in each others’ arms. 

“But you broke up,” she said more to herself than to the other Maggie.

“We did.” The other Maggie heaved a sigh as she lifted herself up from the couch and slumped to the kitchen to pour herself another drink. “I was so stupid. Alex is all I need. She’s enough. And I should have told her that. And now it’s too late.”

Maggie stared down into her own empty glass. 

Was it too late? Was Alex gone forever because she couldn’t find it in herself to open her mind to new possibilities? She had never seen herself as a mother, that was true. When she lay awake at her aunt’s house in the months after she was cast out by her parents, she often dreamed of something better. Of a small house with a dog and a garden and a faceless woman who loved her for who she was. Having a kid was never part of that.

But it was for this Maggie— a Maggie who, like herself, was thrown out by the people who were supposed to love and support her, no matter what— and it was for Alex. 

They should have talked about it. Should have communicated more, like they always had before. Alex had hid this from her, but it wasn’t just Alex’s fault. She hadn’t been willing to listen. Hadn’t been willing to compromise or even understand why.

Maybe it was too late to save her own relationship, but she could help this Maggie save hers. 

She joined her twin in the kitchen and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Go to her. Tell her what you just told me. Life is too short. Kiss the girl you want to kiss.”

The other Maggie’s eyes were desperate. “And you’re sure it’ll work?”

“As long as your Alex likes pizza and beer and silly, romantic detectives,” Alex’s voice piped up from the doorway.

Both Maggies jumped in surprise. Neither had heard her enter. Maggie wasn’t sure how much Alex had heart, but she looked resigned.

Her doppelgänger pulled her into a hug before moving to give Alex one as well. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Alex managed a smile. “I’m happy an Alex and Maggie can work things out on one Earth at least.” 

As the other Maggie rushed out the door, Maggie and Alex shared a shy look. 

They returned to Earth 38.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6.


	5. Part 3 - Earth Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part 3 of Crisis on Earth Ex (Earth Swap edition).
> 
> If you'd rather read the classic version with an Alex 38/Maggie 38 ending, go back to chapter 4.

It had been a week since they got back from Earth X. 

One week and Maggie still hadn’t been able to wrap her head around everything that happened.

Sure, she’s had some run-ins with the weird working for the NCPD. Not all meta-humans had useful powers like super speed or strength after all. Just last week, she and her partner arrested a bank robber who was able to liquify himself in order to slip into the vaults undetected. She really thought she’d seen everything. But then at the wedding… Aliens. Nazis from another Earth. And then seeing Alex… Feeling Alex…

Her fingers twitched. She had a bottle of whiskey in the bottom drawer of her desk, but 10 am was slightly too early to start drinking. Instead she grabbed a cup of the sludge the uniformed officers call coffee, hoping the warm drink would be enough to help her focus on the Earth she was on.

She was just finishing up some paperwork on a closed case when one of the junior detectives shouted over to grab her attention, “Hey Sawyer, your ex is here!”

Maggie looked up from the file folder, confused. Why would Alex be at the station? While Alex  _ was _ the NCPD liason at the Meta-Human Research Institute, Maggie was pretty sure she was avoiding her by sending her assistant in her stead. They hadn’t even texted since the breakup. Alex had made it quite clear that she wasn’t ready to see her when she sent Kara to pick up her stuff from Maggie’s apartment instead of going herself.

But there she was, standing by the reception desk, looking around the precinct nervously. Dreading the inevitable awkward conversation, Maggie let her legs carry her to reception. 

But as she got closer she realized that something wasn’t quite right. It was Alex, but it wasn’t… her Alex. Not the one from this Earth anyway. 

She’s not entirely sure how she knew— the physical differences between the two were nearly imperceptible— but somehow she did. Call it detective’s intuition. Somehow, the Alex that was sweet enough to leave her a note after their night together was standing in front of her, real and solid and so, so beautiful. 

“You came back…?” Her voice came out low and shaky. Her gut was rarely wrong, but she had to make sure. 

Alex’s smile was shy. Hopeful. “I came back.” 

“Can you do that?” 

Maggie was pretty certain that multiverse travel was frowned upon, but who knew what this Alex’s black ops organization got up to.

“I had to see you again.” Her eyes darted away momentarily, scanning the room. “Do you… can we talk?” 

“Of course.” Maggie moved to lead Alex into an empty office.

“No, not here... “ Alex trailed off, motioning to a few of the rookie cops that were attempting to eavesdrop. 

“Ah,” Maggie nodded in understanding. “Yeah I know just the place. Let me let the captain know I’ll be out.”

* * *

Maggie took her to a park few blocks away from the precinct. It wasn’t terribly large, in fact it only held a small play structure with a pair of swings and some benches placed around a few patches of overly manicured grass, but it was charming and peaceful and really, Alex couldn’t think of a better place to talk with her ex-fiancée’s alternate Earth self that she had a one night stand with.

“I come here sometimes when I’m stuck on a case.” Maggie stopped at the edge of the walkway, where the pavement met the sand of the playground area, and shoved her hands into her pockets. “It’s usually emptier during the evenings.”

A young father crouched down by the slide, encouraging his son to slide down. The boy scooted down as his father cheered and then squealed as he was lifted up onto his father’s shoulders. The corner of Maggie’s mouth quirked up, but Alex could see the spark of pain in her eyes.

“Do you want to sit?” She placed a gentle hand on Maggie’s elbow and the woman shook herself out of her daze.

“Yeah. Yes. Sorry, I just…”

“Yeah no, I get it. This is… It’s weird,” Alex offered.

“So weird,” Maggie agreed.

Alex surveyed the park. All of the benches were full. The only places available to sit were a small patch of grass under a tree (which just seemed a bit too intimate) and the swing set.

“I haven’t been on one of these since I was a kid.” Alex settled into a swing and kicked off the ground experimentally, letting gravity take her back towards Maggie.

Maggie took a seat on her own swing and winced. “The seats are a bit smaller than I remember.”

Alex pumped her legs, stretching them out as she reached the height of her arc. The weight of the impending conversation hung heavy about her shoulders and she welcomed the distraction just for a little while.

Maggie rocked back and forth on her own swing.

“Come on, Maggie!” Alex called out as she passed by. “What are you waiting for?”

She grinned as Maggie pushed off, joining her in the air. For a few glorious minutes, they were just two people reliving a moment of childhood wonder, and Alex was able to forget why she was really there.  

“Okay, are you ready?” Alex asked, as their swings caught up to each other.

“Ready for what?”

They moved through the air, side by side for a few swings. Maggie’s hair whipped around her face and Alex was sure hers was past the point of tidy.

“In three, we’re going to jump!”

“Jump together?” Maggie eyed her suspiciously on their next pass.

Alex nodded in confirmation.

“Alright, Danvers, you’re on!”

They counted down and jumped. Alex landed first, grinning triumphantly as her feet hit the sand. Maggie landed second, nearly crashing into Alex, who reached out to steady her, but she ended up taking Alex down anyway. They both sank down into the sand laughing.

Maggie pulled them both up and brushed the sand off of her jeans. “Feels a bit like flying, doesn’t it?”

Alex sighed, a bittersweet smile on her face as she sat down on the edge of the sand pit on the concrete ledge and looked out at the play structure.

“I didn’t know I needed that.” She dug a small trench in the sand with the heel of her boot. “I’m not really sure what came over me.”

“It was nice, wasn’t it?” Maggie agreed, stretching her own legs out into the sand. She leaned back, palms splayed behind her, and looked up at the sky. “Haven’t laughed like that in a while...”

They both sat together on the pavement, their breathing slowly returning to normal. Alex closed her eyes and tipped her head back as well, letting the rays of the sun warm her face. She and her Maggie frequented the park often. She was never a morning person so she rarely joined Maggie on her runs, but she had fond memories of the weekend picnics when neither of them had to work. They’d sit on a large blanket, feeding each other apple slices before taking a stroll along the footpaths, discussing their future together hand-in-hand.

“Hey Alex, is everything okay?”

Alex swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She’d asked herself that over and over and she still wasn’t sure how to answer.

She should be happy. She felt a connection with this Maggie. She had a chance at the future she’d always dreamed of with her. But the words that her Maggie had spit at her in her apartment still stung.

_ So you just came here to what, to hurt me? That’s fucked up. It’s fucked up and you know it. _

Alex tightened her jaw, trying to stave off the tears that were threatening to fall.

She and Maggie had met that morning at Noonan’s again to go over their plan. Maggie had assured her that she was one hundred percent in and that she wasn’t angry with her, but Alex wasn’t so sure. It just seemed too good to be true.

She was selfish. So, so selfish and she knew it. She knew what she was asking Maggie to do. What she was asking  _ both _ of the Maggies to do.

“You can tell me if you want. I’ve heard I’m a pretty good listener.” Maggie’s voice was gentle and understanding and Alex was instantly transported back to that night on the couch after her father’s betrayal. Her girlfriend had pulled her into her arms and comforted her, whispering soft nothings into her ear.

How could she do this?

She’d hurt the one woman who had always been there for her— ride or die. The woman who had taught her about herself, who told her that she didn’t have to push down her feelings anymore, who made her feel loved and accepted and  _ happy _ . And here she was about to throw all of that away again for a  _ what-if _ . 

She looked back out onto the playground where a pair of young girls had taken up their seats on the swings.

“I told Maggie. The other Maggie. About… what happened.”

“Oh.” Maggie gently laid a hand on her back. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know.”

Truthfully, she hadn’t felt alright since before the breakup.

“It’s okay not to be.”

“I think you’re the first one to say that.” Alex sighed. “Everyone expects you to be fine, you know? If you’re the one that…” she paused, trying to find the right words, “ends it.”

She flicked a pebble into the sand. The two girls on the swing set were taunting each other to go higher and higher.

“My sister keeps telling me to get over it, you know?” she continued, “To move on. As if my relationship meant nothing. As if my feelings mean nothing.”

“It’s easy to tell someone to move on or get over it. It’s harder in practice.”

Alex looked back over at her with sympathy. “You get it.”

“Seeing you at the bar just brought everything back.” Maggie admitted softly. “You weren’t  _ her _ but…”

“I was as close as you could get.”

“It wasn’t like that.” Maggie shook her head. “Well, maybe it was at first, but you’re different. It just… I feel drawn to you. I want to know  _ you _ .”

“I want to know you too,” Alex murmured.

“Is that why you’re here?”

“There’s… someone you have to meet. That’s why I’m here.”

“You’re not going to tell me more?” Maggie pressed, always the detective, no matter what Earth.

“I’ll tell you everything once you meet her, I promise.”

“Okay, I trust you.”

* * *

The other Maggie’s apartment was nice— and fully furnished— which was more than she could say of her own rat-trap in National City. She wondered vaguely if Earth 1’s Alex moved in with this Maggie when they got engaged. If they got engaged. She wasn’t sure. Alex had been reluctant to talk more about their history. Or maybe the other Maggie never mentioned it. The darker parts of her mind whispered that Alex probably didn’t think to ask while she was busy writhing underneath what was essentially her clone. 

Maggie turned away from the two of them on the couch. At least they were maintaining a respectful distance between each other. When she and Alex had discussed their plan at Noonan’s, she really was okay with it— in fact it was her idea— but actually being there, seeing the other Maggie in person? That made that acidic feeling of jealousy and anger bubble up again. 

She felt the other Maggie’s eyes on her as she moved about the apartment. If she had any indication why they might be there, she wasn’t showing it. 

Maggie ran her hand across the books on the shelf, brimming with detective novels she too had enjoyed in her youth. She continued examining the apartment, taking in each item methodically, treating it like she would a crime scene. They had similar taste in decor it seemed, save for the small potted succulents on various surfaces. 

“I love the aesthetic of plants, but I don’t have a lot of time to care for them.” The other Maggie noticed her examining one of the cacti on a shelf. Her voice was low, tentative. Unsure where they stood. “They’re low maintenance.”

Maggie nodded, but she couldn’t say she agreed. Her bonsais might require a lot of care, but they were also calming. And if this Maggie couldn’t even care for the plants in her house, how could she be trusted to care for Alex?

She was dimly aware of the other Maggie getting up from the couch and heading into the kitchen. There was rustling, then the clinking of glasses. 

“Something to drink?” The other Maggie offered.

She grunted in the affirmative. Alex must have also requested one as well, as the other Maggie set three glasses down on her bar cart. The bottle of whiskey looked expensive and Maggie hummed a note of approval as the liquor hit her tongue.

She could give this Maggie one thing, she had excellent taste. 

“Oh. You can thank my partner at work for that one. Birthday gift...”

Maggie looked back up from her glass. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. 

The other Maggie handed Alex a glass, then sat down in the worn leather armchair in the corner. Further away from Alex. Interesting. 

She made one last visual sweep of the apartment, then sat down on the couch next to Alex, who seemed like she was trying to disappear into the cushions. She held tightly to her glass, knuckles white, and Maggie felt her anger recede. 

This was hard for her too. 

And ultimately, this  _ was _ Maggie’s idea. Alex had taken the device, but they both knew she never would have made the decision to actually use it. She would have lived the rest of her life on Earth 38 pining and miserable. And as much as it hurt to know that Alex had been with another woman, another  _ Maggie _ , she didn’t want that life for either herself or Alex. She knew that she might never get over Alex Danvers, but maybe a new start could help. 

She was going about this all wrong.

She placed a hand on Alex’s knee. “Hey, it’s okay.”

Alex gave her a watery half-smile in return.

Maggie supposed it was up to her to start this then. “So, you’re probably wondering why we are here.”

“I have a few theories.” The other Maggie sat back in her chair, eyeing her warily. “Alex said you know about the wedding.”

“I do.”

“Should I… did you want me to apologize?” 

“No. Look, I…” Maggie rubbed at her temples, taking a moment to regroup. She glanced over at Alex. “I was angry at first. When Alex first told me. But I’ve had some time to think about it. And I just want her to be happy.”

“Is... this some kind of proposition?” The other Maggie gestured between the three of them with her glass. “Because I have to say, this really isn’t the fantasy threesome I always imagined.”

Beside her on the couch, Alex nearly choked on her own whiskey. 

The joke was crude, but somehow seemed to be exactly what was needed to lighten the mood and Maggie let herself laugh. “You’re right, I always kind of pictured it the other way around.”

“Oh my god,” Alex groaned, shaking her head. “This was a mistake. I need to go.”

“Sorry, sorry.” The other Maggie looked sheepish. “Really though, I’m curious. What brings you here?”

Maggie straightened up, instantly all business, and laid out their plan as the other Maggie listened with rapt attention. When she finished, silence settled over them. The other Maggie looked deep in thought.

“Well? What do you think?” 

The other Maggie’s gaze shifted between her and Alex, and Maggie was sure that her brain was probably buzzing with questions. 

“It sounds crazy,” she murmured finally. “Of all the things I expected, this was definitely not it.”

“I think we all deserve happiness, or at least a chance at it.” Maggie relaxed back into the couch. Now that it was all out there, she felt a weight off her shoulders. “Maybe it’s just a case of… Right person, wrong Earth?”

“And you’re willing to take that chance?” The other Maggie turned to Alex, who had remained quiet the entire time. “Both of you?” 

“Yes.” Alex confirmed. “It was Maggie’s idea.” 

The other Maggie thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded resolutely. “Okay. What do we need to do?”

* * *

Over the next few months, she and Alex jumped back and forth between worlds to give Earth 1’s Maggie a crash course on everything she needed to know about Earth 38— from big things like the various alien species that called National City home, to the small things like Maggie’s favorite coffee shops and Kara’s regular order at the Chinese food place down the street.

In turn, Maggie was schooled on Meta-humans, all of the other Maggie’s open cases, and where the best pizza place was located. And as she switched out the succulents with her preferred plant type, she got to watch Alex and the other Maggie and each time, it hurt less and less. 

Finally the day arrived when she would leave Earth 38 behind for good. 

She held Alex close, one last time, and when they parted, they were both smiling. 

As she prepared to step through the portal to Earth 1, the other Maggie caught her by the arm. “Listen, before you go, I need to ask you just one more favor.”

Maggie tilted her head to the side. “What is it?” 

“Take care of her. The Alex there,” she pleaded. “I hurt her. I know I did. I broke her heart. But she deserves to be happy, and so do you. So please, just. Take care of her.”

Maggie held her gaze for a long moment. “I will.”

And then she was gone.

* * *

Maggie settled into life on Earth 1 more easily than she expected.

She missed her job, but the Anti-Meta-human Task Force was doing really good work, and her new partner at the station was a great guy. She’d never been too chummy with the other detectives at the station in her National City, but this one seemed to know she needed a friend and invited her out for drinks after work frequently. Months later - after she is wounded on the job, he would reveal himself as a Meta-human, a type of empath with healing powers. 

With new friends and a new apartment, Earth 1 was starting to feel like a place she could call home.

The first time she saw the Alex of Earth 1 was an early Wednesday morning. She hadn’t yet found a yoga class she liked, so she’d decided to start going for runs in the morning. It was the beginning of Autumn, and all of the leaves in the park had started to change colors. The air was chilly and crisp, but the entire world felt new. She didn’t normally take the long route through the park— usually she was on a pretty tight schedule in the mornings— but she had a rare day off and she wanted to savor it.

She spotted Alex near the park water fountain, refilling her water bottle. Maggie knew she probably shouldn’t just go up to her, it’d be a pretty big surprise and she wasn’t really sure where they stood, but she couldn’t help herself. She knew very little about this Alex, other than her profession and the fact that she’d recently had her heart broken, but she wanted to know more.

“Good morning,” she called out softly, so as not to startle her.

Alex’s head jerked up from the fountain, looking every bit the deer in the headlights. “I- You- You weren’t supposed to be here.”

Their eyes met and Maggie felt like she’d been bowled over. Suddenly she was back on the tarmac all those months ago, trading barbs with a beautiful federal agent. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you ran through this park.”

Alex gave her a strange look. “I always run through the park in the mornings…”

“Right, sorry again I just…” Maggie paused, trying to think of an excuse. She really had to be more careful. If there was anyone who’d be able to suss her out as not being from this Earth, it would be Alex. “I haven’t really been sleeping. Tough case.” She shrugged. “I guess I thought some exercise would clear my head.”

Alex’s eyes softened. “Always helps me.”

They both stood awkwardly by the fountain, not knowing what else to say, and Maggie took advantage of the time to study the other woman. She  _ was _ Alex, that was for certain. But this one seemed… softer somehow. Less battle worn. Missing the scar on her chin that she got when she single-handedly brought down a rogue RyzaRak.

“Well um, okay then. I guess I’ll… see you around, Maggie.” And with that, Alex turned and jogged off.

Maggie watched as she disappeared around the block. Their first meeting was awkward and stilted, but at least it was a start. She’d definitely be taking the long route from that day on.

Alex didn’t show up the next day though. Maggie ran through the park twice to make sure, but no Alex. 

She went to work disappointed. 

Thankfully, two days later, she ran past Alex in the park again. This time she was going the opposite direction, bopping along to some music playing on her headphones. Alex didn’t stop, but when Maggie waved to her, she did wave back.

Maggie spent the rest of the day thinking about how cute she looked in her blue zip-up and wondering what music she liked.

The next Monday, she saw Alex again, but instead of a wave, she got a genuine smile.

It continued like that for weeks. Every morning she and Alex would meet by the entrance to the park, and every morning they would jog together. A new shared routine. 

They didn’t say more than a handful of words— if they had, the spell would have been broken— but Maggie found that she didn’t really mind just sharing those quiet mornings with Alex. She was good company and kept her at pace. She even brought Maggie a spare water bottle after noticing that she always neglected to bring one.

The twelfth time they met up, Alex got a call in the middle of their run. She stopped to answer it and Maggie tried her best not to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help but catch a few words. 

It seemed like this Alex was close with her sister too. 

Alex hung up and looked to Maggie apologetically. “Sorry, that was Kara. She has this big presentation this morning at CatCo and needed some encouragement.”

“Oh you don’t need to apologize, that’s sweet.” 

Alex scoffed, clearly embarrassed, and started off again, a blush dusting her cheeks.

Maggie jogged to catch up with her and resolved to ask her out for coffee the next time she saw her.

It seemed fate had other plans however, because the next time she saw Alex wasn’t an early morning. It was at work that same day. 

While Alex mostly sent her assistant to meet with the detectives, she couldn’t avoid the station forever. A few months into Maggie’s new life on Earth 1, National City experienced a string of murders thought to have been perpetrated by some kind of meta-human. Alex’s assistant was good, but his expertise came nowhere near Alex’s level and Maggie’s captain insisted that Dr. Danvers come to the precinct to consult in person.

They may have fallen into a comfortable routine in the mornings during their runs, but seeing Alex then and seeing her at work were two totally different situations that neither of them were prepared for. Their shared runs became a little bubble of sorts where they could forget about any past hurt because it was new— something Alex had never done with the other Maggie.

But seeing her at work was clearly too much for Alex because the minute they crossed paths in the hall, all of Alex’s walls that had relaxed during their earlier run immediately went back up. 

“Hey, Alex,” Maggie called out to her, trying to catch her as she left the precinct, “Please wait!”

Alex didn’t respond. She wouldn’t even look at Maggie. Instead she just tore through the parking lot to her motorcycle and zoomed off, leaving Maggie standing hopelessly in the dust.

The other Maggie wasn’t kidding when she said that she’d broken Alex’s heart. 

Maggie knew what it was like to feel inadequate. To love someone so much— to give them every part of you— only to be told that it wasn’t enough. That they needed more. Had she stayed on Earth 38, surrounded by reminders of Alex and the remnants of their failed engagement, she was pretty sure that would have reacted just the same.

And maybe she had initially agreed to this switch so that the other Alex could be happy with a Maggie that wanted the same things she did, but she wondered if maybe it could be possible for her to get her own happy ending. It wasn’t something she planned, but she felt so drawn to this Alex. To this woman who shared the same kind of hurt. Maybe they could help each other heal.

Maggie looked up Alex’s address in the NCPD system. She knew she shouldn’t take advantage of her position, but she had to see the other woman again and she couldn’t be sure that she’d go back to their park the next morning. 

Alex’s apartment building was different than the one she was used to, but Maggie supposed that this Alex didn’t need to have an apartment near the DEO since it presumably didn’t exist. It appeared to be a new place too. Her name was absent from the row of mailboxes in the lobby. She concluded that Alex must had moved in with the other Maggie when they were together. 

She didn’t call or text before knocking on the door, even if the other Maggie still had Alex’s number under favorites with a heart. She just bought a pizza and a 6-pack of beer and hoped that the love of pineapple on pizza was an Alex Danvers universal constant.

Her heart ached when Alex opened the door. The scientist looked exhausted— defeated even— and Maggie wondered if it was just because of the difficulties with their case or if it was her presence. 

“I already gave my observations on the bodies to your captain,” Alex spoke, hard and businesslike.

“I didn’t come here for work.”

“Then what do you want, Sawyer?” Alex sighed heavily. 

“I just… Um. Well. Here’s the thing.”

She took a deep breath, slowly letting it out while she gathered her thoughts. She’d practiced her speech on the drive over multiple times and she only had one shot to get this right.

“Alex, I was so stupid.”

“I won’t argue with that.” 

“I got scared.” 

“You were the one that proposed to me.”

Maggie startled. That was unexpected. The other Maggie, the one that was from this Earth, failed to mention that little piece of information. Perhaps it slipped her mind, or she just… assumed it was the same on Earth 38. 

She stared down at her shoes. What would she want to hear, if all those months ago, Alex had knocked on her door, much like she was now, and told her that she’d made a mistake? What would make any of that okay? 

Nothing, she supposed. She’d felt like she’d been thrown in the trash. Like the time they’d spent together meant nothing compared to Alex’s alleged childhood dream of having kids. And she knows this Alex probably feels similarly. 

And she just wants more than anything to be there for this Alex. To let her know that they could have each other. Could support each other. That she could be  _ The Maggie  _ that this Alex needs.

She rubbed the back of her neck. “I know. I just. I almost died.”

“What?” Alex’s expression shifted into one of panic.

“It’s, I’m fine. Just. Something happened at Barry’s wedding and it got me thinking.” Maggie moved closer to Alex. She knew what she had to say. “Life is too short. And we should be who we are. And we should kiss the girls that we want to kiss. And I really just want to kiss you.”

“Maggie…” Alex breathed. 

They were so close, but Maggie waited. Waited for the signal that it was okay to proceed. That this was what Alex wanted too. She wasn’t going to push. 

Alex’s eyes darted to Maggie’s lips and then back up. Then suddenly she grabbed Maggie’s face and pulled her in and it was like everything suddenly shifted back into place. 

They broke apart only when they both needed to breath, but Alex kept her hands on Maggie’s cheeks, stroking her dimples with her thumbs. 

She tucked a stray piece of hair behind Maggie’s ear. “I missed that.” 

There were tears streaming down Maggie’s face and she wasn’t quite certain if they were hers or Alex’s but at that point, she didn’t really care. It felt  _ right. _

“So did I.”

“But… but this doesn’t change anything, Maggie.” Alex’s smile fell. “You still—”

“—No Alex.” Maggie held up a hand to stop the inevitable rambling. “I mean. Yes, I wanted kids, but I need you. And if you don’t want that, that’s okay. But I want you to know that I don’t need them to be happy, to feel complete.” 

“How can I know you mean it? That I’m enough for you.” Alex shuffled her feet nervously. “I can’t do this again…”

“I do. And you are. And I’m going to prove it to you every day.” Maggie took Alex by the hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Can I kiss you again?”

Alex didn’t answer. Instead she pulled Maggie inside her apartment and closed the door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 7.


	6. Part 4 - No Earth Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part 4 of Crisis on Earth Ex (Earth 38 Alex/Earth 38 Maggie edition).  
> If you'd rather read the Earth swap, skip this chapter and continue on to chapter 7.

When they returned from Earth 1, Maggie had told Alex that she would return the device to the DEO— Alex was ashamed she had even taken it in the first place— but she didn’t. She couldn’t. Something in her wouldn’t let her. So instead it sat on her kitchen counter, a reminder of what could have been.

And then, life returned to normal for the most part.

Alex went back to work at the DEO and Maggie at the science division. While their breakup hadn’t been contentious, they had walked on eggshells around each other, only trading information on shared cases via text message or through a third party.

But now that she and Alex were on better terms, she started getting calls to collaborate on cases again. It was like someone had taken the remote control to their relationship and hit rewind. Just like that, they were back to bantering over dead bodies and making silly bets in the bar over games of pool. The only difference was that now they didn’t go home together afterwards.

That really was the most bitter pill to swallow.

“I’ll go grab us another round?” Alex’s question pulled her from her thoughts. “Same thing?”

Maggie nodded, twisting the chalk around the tip of her cue. They were tied up and she had been missing shots left and right. She’d been off her game ever since Alex took off her sweater to reveal a top Maggie was sure she’d never seen. It was nice and new and Maggie tried not to think about what that could mean. _Was she dating?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Alex leaned up against the bar and smiled at the bartender before looking back over at Maggie and giving her a dorky little wave.

Maggie shook her head fondly and returned the gesture. She’d missed this more than she’d thought.

Alex turned back to the bar and Maggie rolled her shoulders, sloughing off the last of the stress of her day. She leaned down over the pool table, lining up her shot. 9-ball, corner pocket. She glanced briefly up at the bar. A tall brunette had taken the stool next to Alex and was making conversation. Maggie’s eyes darted back down to the table as she willed herself to focus. She exhaled slowly, pulled back the cue and...

Alex’s laugh rang out over the din of the bar, the characteristic embarrassed giggle that Maggie still loved so much.

The tip of her cue missed the center of the ball, sending it off in the opposite direction, clacking uselessly off the side of the table and rolling into a pocket. _Scratch_.

“Fucks sake.”

“I got us free drinks.” Alex returned to the table, a light blush dusting her cheeks, and handed a pint glass to Maggie.

She nodded her thanks, taking the glass and draining a third. The beer tasted stale in Maggie’s mouth. “Free drinks, huh?” She looked over at the bar. The brunette was still there, sipping some kind of fruity cocktail. Her jaw tightened.

Alex shrugged. “She was nice, but I wasn’t interested.”

“It’s okay if you were.”

“She wasn’t my type.”

Their eyes met. The air was charged and for a minute, Maggie was sure that this would be a repeat of their very first kiss in the bar.

She took a deep breath, exhaling shakily. “Alex, I…”

Alex’s phone vibrated loudly on the table, followed closely by Maggie’s own. They jumped apart, shaken. The spell was broken.

Alex glanced down at the message. “Emergency at the docks.”

Maggie frowned at her own phone. “Same. I’ll meet you there.”

* * *

She and Alex parted ways after they took care of the latest threat. By the time she got back to her apartment, it was almost midnight and she was hungry and sore. She dropped her keys on the kitchen counter, pulled off her boots, and collapsed onto one of the folding chairs at her card table, rubbing at her temples.

She needed another drink.

The device still sat on the counter, right next to a half empty bottle of tequila.

She’d been meaning to return it, but every time she set foot in the DEO with it in her pocket, something stopped her.

She approached the bottle and the device.

The smart thing to do would be to pour herself a couple shots and fall asleep to reruns of “Forensic Files”.

But Maggie didn’t do the smart thing.

Instead she returned to Earth 1 alone.

* * *

Maggie took a deep breath before knocking on the door. She knew it was late, but she needed some advice— a confidant— and she wasn’t sure who else she could go to.

She heard shuffling from inside the apartment, and the door swung open to reveal her alternate self, clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Maggie stuffed her hands in her pockets and tried to manage a smile in greeting.

The other Maggie’s eyes widened and she stepped out of the door into the hall of her apartment complex, shutting the door quietly behind her.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed. She looked up and down the hall, confirming they were well and truly alone, before squinting at Maggie. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. No.” Her jaw tightened at the memory of Alex at the bar and then their near kiss. “Can we talk?”

The other Maggie glanced back at the door to her apartment. “Yes, but not here. Just… give me a second?”

Maggie nodded her assent and her doppelgänger ducked back inside.

She paced the long stretch of hallway. Maybe it was a mistake to come back. She folded her arms around herself and slumped back against the wall.

A few minutes later, the other Maggie’s door opened again and she re-appeared, wearing some jeans and a sweatshirt that was just a bit too big. Her hair was pulled up in a sloppy bun, and without makeup, it was enough to make them look less like twins and more like sisters.

“Okay, let’s go,” she said. “It’s dark, we’ll be fine.”

* * *

The other Maggie ushered her into a dive bar underneath an art supply store a few blocks from her apartment. It was grungy and grimy with only a few patrons.

Maggie racked up the pool table as the other Maggie went to grab them some beer.

Not quite ready to talk, or not knowing how to start, Maggie distracted herself by starting the game. She always lost to Alex, but she was definitely a better pool player than the other Maggie, who was admittedly even worse than Winn.

“This isn’t really a fair match,” the other Maggie griped, “Alex and I always played darts, not pool. Totally different skill set.”

Maggie shrugged, leaning over and pocketing another one of her striped balls.

The other Maggie shook her head, mumbling about needing another drink, and slumped back over to the bar.

Maggie sighed. Pool just made her think of Alex, which reminded her of why she was there. She hung her pool cue back up on the wall and sat down on the barstool next to her doppelgänger. The bartender set down a fresh glass in front of each of them.

Maggie held her glass up. “Cheers.”

“Cheers indeed.”

Maggie looked at their reflections in the mirrored backsplash. Even though they looked the same, they were different in so many ways. How many other Maggies were out there? Could there be one who was taller? One who never left Blue Springs? One who was a cat?

Did any of them actually have their shit together?

Maggie took a long sip of her beer, bracing herself for the upcoming conversation.

“So… Was that her in your apartment then? Your Alex?” she asked.

The other Maggie smiled softly. “It was.”

“Things are going well for you guys.”

“Really well. That whole _kiss the girls_ thing was really something. But we’re taking it slow.” She shrugged, taking a sip of her own drink. “We still have a lot to discuss.”

Maggie hummed. She wasn’t really sure what to say to that.

“We’re going on vacation in a few weeks… just to reconnect,” the other Maggie continued, “Maybe we’ll get a dog.”

They grew quiet. The condensation from Maggie’s glass glistened under the dim lighting.

“Why did you want kids?”

She hadn’t meant to just blurt that out. She had intended to be a little more tactful about the situation since she wasn’t sure if it was a sore subject. Still, it was out now.

“Alright, we’re getting heavy then.” The other Maggie drummed her fingers on the bar top. “I dunno if it was the same for you but, I had a pretty shitty time growing up.”

“Wasn’t easy growing up a non-white non-straight girl in Blue Springs, Nebraska,” Maggie agreed.

A knowing look passed between them. Clearly they weren’t _that_ different then.

“Anyway, I just. I always wanted to prove them wrong, you know? I wanted the wife and the kid and the picket fence. Plus, I dunno…” She gestured lamely with one hand. “I guess I just. Wanted to give a kid a good home with parents who cared.”

“I never really thought of it that way.” Maggie considered the idea. She’d seen kids on the street in National City every day. Kids who weren’t as lucky as she was to have an aunt who could take them in. They were different, cast out and unloved. Her heart clenched. “You know, we never even talked about it? I just told her I never saw myself as a mom.”

“Do you still feel that way?”

“I don’t know. I mean… when I imagine my ideal life now, she’s always there beside me.”

“And could you see that with a kid? You and Alex?”

"I think, maybe with her, it wouldn’t be so bad.” Several images flashed through her mind: Alex reading to a kid at bedtime, the two of them teaching a kid to ride a bike, going on family vacations… They weren’t terrible. “Giving a kid a good home I mean. Like you said.”

“Then maybe you should actually talk to her about it.”

“Yeah. Maybe I should.”

“But you’re still worried.”

“Yeah.” She sighed, slumping forward onto the bar top, head in her palms. “What if it’s too late?”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.” The other Maggie paid the tab and stood up, patting Maggie on the shoulder. “Well, I’ve got my own Alex to get home to.”

"Yeah." Maggie got up from the bar as well. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” The other Maggie pulled her into a hug and it was less awkward than she expected. “Good luck. And hey... don’t be strangers.”

Maggie watched as she disappeared into the distance. If this Maggie could do it, she could too. Her plan decided, she walked out of the bar, went back to Earth 38, and knocked on Alex’s door.

 

* * *

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

“Captain?”

Maggie looked up from the case file on her desk. One of the rookie detectives stood in the doorway of her office, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.

“What do you need Calloway?” Maggie tried not to groan. Detective Calloway started a few months ago, but he still needed a bit of handholding. “This about the Riley Case?

“Uh no ma’am. Your wife is here to see you, ma’am.”

“Thanks detective.” Maggie shut the file with a grin. “Why don’t you take a break and grab some lunch. We will talk about your case later this afternoon.”

“Yes ma’am, of course, ma’am.” He stumbled over his feet on the way out of her office in his haste.

Maggie rolled her eyes. Nice kid, but boy did he drive her crazy sometimes.

“Well hello, officer,” Alex teased as she sauntered into Maggie’s office holding their adopted daughter.

“Well well, what did I do to deserve a visit from the feds?” She took Jamie from Alex’s arms, tickling her stomach, making the young alien giggle.

Alex set a bag on her desk, pulling out what looked like takeout from Maggie’s favorite Thai place. “Do I need a reason to want to visit my wife?”

“Absolutely not.” Maggie leaned over to peck Alex on the cheek. She set Jamie on the floor, letting the young girl toddle over to the small box of toys kept in her mom’s office.

“By the way we got a postcard,” Alex said as she unlocked her phone, turning it so that Maggie could see from where she was sitting.

Maggie peered down at the digital postcard. There on the screen was the Earth 1 Alex and Maggie, beaming up at them from the beach.

“Fiji, huh?”

“What a destination, right?” Alex laughed. “Makes our planned trip to Disneyland look a bit less appealing.”

Maggie leaned back in her chair and watched as her wife fixed up a small plate for their daughter. “Oh I dunno. Spontaneous tropical beach trips sound lovely, but I wouldn’t trade our family vacations for anything.”


	7. Part 4 - Earth Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part 4 of Crisis on Earth Ex (Earth Swap edition).  
> If you'd rather read the classic version with an Alex 38/Maggie 38 ending, go back to chapter 6.

Alex always thought that she wasn’t built for intimacy.

She never understood why she felt nothing for the handful of boys she dated over the years. She was supposed to enjoy it. All of her friends growing up did. But at sleepovers she never had any gossip about crushes to share. She thought boys had clammy hands and scratchy faces and they were too forceful or used too much tongue.

So she had resigned herself to a life focused on her work, and honestly she was fine with that. She loved her job and she was good at it. Sure, she didn’t have someone to come home to, but she had the support of her younger sister and she was well-regarded in the scientific community for her work on meta-human genetics and that was enough.

But then she was called to consult on a case for National City PD’s new Anti-Meta-human Task Force, where she met Detective Maggie Sawyer and had her world turned upside down. She wasn’t broken, she was a lesbian. And realizing that gave her more relief and joy than any scientific breakthrough.

They fell in love so quickly and when Maggie proposed, of course she said yes. But then Maggie wanted kids. She wanted kids and Alex didn’t.

She never really had strong parental figures in her life. Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers were busy scientists and while she was always welcome to hide out in her dad’s lab while he worked, it wasn’t the same as building pillow forts in the living room or going on family camping trips like her friends would do with their parents.

Her father died in a plane crash when she was a teenager and after that, her mother was never the same. She became more distant, withdrawing into her own research, unable to cope with the loss of her husband and Alex was left to deal with the young Meta-human her parents had taken in.

She was forced to grow up fast. If she hadn’t learned how to cook and clean, she and Kara would have probably eaten cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She made sure that their lunches were made in the morning and that Kara’s homework was done. The only time her mother really talked to her was to criticize her for getting “B’s” instead of “A’s” or to chastise her for not reminding Kara to keep her strength hidden. But no matter what she did, no matter how many advanced college courses she was taking, it was never enough.

When she was finally an adult— and when Kara was old enough to take care of herself— Alex wanted to focus on her own needs. She wanted to fall in love, have a successful career, and travel the world. She didn’t want to be a parent again.

But Maggie did.

And suddenly Alex wasn’t good enough again.

But now, Maggie was back. Maggie had come to her apartment and chose _her._ And sure, they were taking things slow, but Maggie seemed wholeheartedly invested in the idea of _them_.

There was something different about her though.  Something that Alex couldn’t quite put her finger on, but she was pretty sure she liked it. Maggie made her laugh, brought her coffee to the lab, even planned out romantic picnics complete with roses and candles. And maybe the new collection of bonsai trees in her apartment were a bit odd, but Maggie seemed to be glowing, and if Alex was honest with herself, she was pretty sure that she was too.

About three months after she and Maggie got back together, Alex received a call to consult on a project with S.T.A.R. Labs.

Caitlin Snow was a genius and Alex was thrilled to be working with her, but something she said during their conference call gave her pause. Caitlin had mentioned that it was good to see her again and that she had enjoyed talking to her at Barry’s wedding.

But Alex wasn’t at Barry’s wedding. She originally intended to go as Maggie’s plus one, but they were broken up by the time the wedding rolled around. It was a possibility that Caitlin was incorrect— had mistaken her for someone else— but she highly doubted that was the case.

That could only mean two things.

One, there _was_ an Alex Danvers at Barry Allen’s wedding, and two, _that_ Alex Danvers was not her.

And that realization led her down a rabbit hole.

Because if there was another Alex Danvers, there might be another Maggie Sawyer.

And if there was another Maggie Sawyer, then the Multiverse Theory could very well be real.

The implications of that were staggering, but Alex could only focus on one thing. The Maggie Sawyer that was there with her might not be the same Maggie Sawyer she first met at the NCPD, which would explain her complete 180 about kids.

Alex sat in her office, stunned.

Should she be upset? Should she be angry with the Maggie that shared her bed?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she wasn’t. This Maggie was here for a reason and it wasn’t sinister. She’d been nothing but caring and gentle with her since they reunited, always waiting for Alex to make the first move. She’d insisted on dating. On getting to know each other again. She remembered Alex’s favorite flowers and foods and how she took her coffee in the morning.

This Maggie wanted to be here. She was invested in them.

So no. Alex wasn’t angry.

But she _was_ curious.

* * *

“So I was reading this article about multiverse theory today.”

Maggie’s fork clattered to the table, staining the tablecloth with excess tomato sauce.

“Sorry, I’m a bit clumsy tonight.” She wiped at the stain with her napkin distractedly. “What did you say?”

Alex took a bite of her lasagna, chewing slowly. She had to approach this delicately. The last thing she wanted to do was scare Maggie off.

“Multiverse theory. Alternate universes. _Parallel Earths._ ” She waved her own fork around excitedly. “There’s some really fascinating work coming out of S.T.A.R. Labs.”

Maggie stiffened. It was nearly imperceptible and if Alex weren’t paying such close attention, she might have missed it. But she _was_ paying attention and she was fairly certain that her theory might have some merit.

She and Maggie often chatted about scientific theories over dinner, and that hadn’t changed. This Maggie— if indeed she were another one— clearly had an interest, particularly in science fiction. In fact, Maggie had excitedly presented her with tickets to a special screening of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” last weekend and they’d spent an hour in bed after the film talking about whether Alex believed there was life on other planets.

So normally, Maggie would have listened to her ramble about whatever journal article she’d been reading, interjecting with questions or comments. She should have no reason to be so jittery about this topic in particular. Unless of course, she was another Maggie.

Alex took a sip of water and contemplated her options.

She could confront Maggie, tell her that she was aware that she was not from this Earth, but she would run the risk of ruining the relationship they’d been building the past few months. And even if this wasn’t the original Maggie, she _liked_ this Maggie. She was pretty sure she could even love her. They were so similar in so many ways, but the differences fascinated her. She wanted to catalogue all of this Maggie’s little quirks.

No. She wasn’t willing to risk it.

That left her with one other option. She just needed to collect a few more pieces of data before making her conclusion.

“I had a call with Dr. Caitlin Snow today about a future collaboration, and so I kind of fell down a research hole.”

The slight hint of panic fell away from Maggie’s face, replaced with a broad smile. “You’re collaborating with S.T.A.R. Labs? That’s amazing.”

“Well, they were very impressed with my work…” Alex tried to fight the blush that was creeping its way up her neck, shrugging. “It’s not a big deal.”

Maggie shook her head. “No, it absolutely is.” She reached her free hand over the table to cover Alex’s own. “You’re brilliant, you know that?”

Alex laced their fingers together, giving Maggie’s hand a quick squeeze in appreciation.

“Well, the call got me thinking. Maybe we could go back to Central City soon? I’d love to get a tour of their facilities.” She kept a close eye on Maggie to see her reaction. “I was disappointed I missed the wedding. I wanted to meet all of your old friends.”

“Oh yeah, we could definitely do that sometime, sure.”

Alex spotted just a tiny flicker of fear flash across Maggie’s face and that was when she knew. Even if this _was_ another Maggie, she was the Maggie that Alex wanted to be with.

She knew that if they went to Central City, Maggie would have to pretend that she knew Barry and the rest of her old coworkers at the CCPD. And she wasn’t certain how much this Maggie knew about this Earth’s Maggie’s history, but the chances of exposing herself were high. And still Maggie was willing to take that chance for her and that meant something.

“Only if you want.” She smiled, enjoying the feeling of Maggie’s hand in hers. “I just know you miss Central City sometimes.”

“Sometimes.” Maggie set down her fork, giving Alex her full attention. “But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but right here with you.”

The sincerity in her eyes was so genuine that Alex almost felt like her heart could burst from happiness, so she let it go.

After all, she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else or _with_ _anyone else_ either.

 

* * *

 

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

“Come on Jamie, we’re gonna go visit your mama at work,” Maggie cooed to the baby in her arms.

She strolled through the DEO command center, where Alex was chatting with Kara in her full Supergirl regalia, waving at a few of the agents as she passed.

“Hey babe.”

Alex spun around, a bright smile on her face. “Maggie! I thought you and Jamie were going shopping today?”

“We were, but then we thought it might be nice to come say hello to our favorite person.” Maggie handed their daughter to Alex and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “We missed you.”

“What about your favorite aunt?” Kara pouted, making a grabbing motion with her hands. “I want to say hello!”

“You can say hello in a minute.” Alex bounced Jamie up and down and Maggie’s heart warmed at the sight.

Kara bumped her hip into Maggies. “She’s really a natural, huh?”

They watched as Alex made the rounds, showing Jamie off to all of the other agents as the child babbled happily.

“She really is.” Maggie smiled fondly.

“You know, I’m so glad you came around. You guys are just… so perfect together.”

“Me too, Kara. Me too.”

Maggie was just about to suggest that they all go out for lunch when Winn sped over, holding a blocky device, practically vibrating with excitement. She raised an eyebrow. “Is that an RF scanner? Are you tagging aliens now? Putting barcodes on them all? Are we next?”

“Ha ha.” He gave her a withering look. “No. It’s for The Jumpers.”

“The Jumpers?”

“It’s— I dunno what else to call them.” He scratched the back of his head. “The aliens, the ones that keep coming over from Earth 8?”

That piqued Maggie’s interest. Other than the occasional visit from Barry Allen, she hadn’t had any contact with any other Earths since she moved from Earth 1 three years ago.

“Aliens from another Earth?” she questioned.

“Yeah, I’m working to develop a way to track and identify them. Where is Alex? I want to show her...”

Kara motioned over towards where Alex was leaning over a console with Jamie, pointing at some colorful graphs.

“Ah yes! Thanks!” He rushed over, Maggie and Kara hot on his heels.

Alex looked up from her work and spotted the scanner in Winn’s hand. “Oh is that the prototype?”

She handed Jamie back to Maggie, giving them both a kiss, and peered at Winn’s scanner.

Winn preened under the praise. “It’s still in the early testing stages, but the way it works is that you press this button here—” He pointed to a large green button in the center of the scanner. “—and it glows green if it recognizes the specific signature from Earth 38!”

Maggie shot Alex a wary glance as Winn continued his spiel.

“I had Lena consult on this one. We’re pretty proud of it since it doesn’t discriminate between aliens and humans…”

He pointed the scanner at Kara, pressed the button, and it glowed green. Then he pointed the scanner at Maggie. The scanner remained blank.

“Huh. That’s weird.”

He pressed the button again.

Still blank.

Alex reached for Maggie’s hand with her free arm. “Looks like it still needs some polishing.”

Winn sighed. “Yeah you might be right…”

“No. Wait.” Kara narrowed her eyes. “It just worked on me.” She rounded on Maggie and Alex. “Where’s Maggie? What have you done with Maggie?”

“Kara—”

“NO. Winn’s tech is always reliable... Alex she could have been _bodysnatched_ . _Kidnapped_ even. Why aren’t you freaking out? She has Jamie!”

Maggie knew that the jig was up. She’d have to come clean. “Wait, wait I swear she’s safe, okay? I didn’t do anything to her.”

“So you aren't Maggie!” Kara advanced, her eyes flashing with fire.

“Kara, stop.” Alex moved to stand between her sister and her wife, her voice firm. “Just. Stop. Let me show you.”

* * *

 

“I’m so glad you convinced me to take the whole week off.”

“I told you that you’d love Bora Bora.” Alex smiled as she fumbled through her bag, trying to find her keys. “And you wanted to go to Reykjavik to freeze our butts off.”

“Okay, you were right.” Maggie unzipped her own bag, pulling her own set of keys out of the front pocket. “But just know that you owe me a trip to the spa to make up for the fact that I missed out on the geothermal lagoon.”

“Of course. You think I’d pass up a romantic spa weekend with you?” Alex brushed past Maggie with a wink.

What she saw when she stepped over the threshold of their apartment stopped her dead in her tracks.

There in the center of her and Maggie’s apartment was a group of people who looked very, _very_ familiar. Herself. Maggie. And her sister in some kind of dress-up costume.

There was a spark of recognition as she locked eyes with the other Maggie, who was smiling sheepishly and waving with the hand that wasn’t holding _a baby_.

“Oh. My god.” The woman who looked like her sister was even more shell-shocked than Alex felt. “Maggie? Um. Can one of you guys explain?”

Alex turned to her wife standing behind her. “I _knew_ it!”

Maggie looked half ready to bolt, but she held firm. “I… I guess we should talk.”

Alex shook her head. “I only have a few questions.” She took Maggie’s hand, turning from the others to face her. “You moved Earths to be with me?”

“Yes.” Maggie’s eyes flickered to the hardwood floor.

“You came to a planet that you didn’t recognize, that isn’t your own… to be with me?”

“Is that… are you angry?”

“No, Maggie. I’m not.” Alex tilted Maggie’s chin back up to look her in her eyes. “I know who you are and I love you.”

The smile Maggie gave her was blinding and all Alex could do was pull her in for a kiss. She’d suspected for years, but having it confirmed? Hearing Maggie tell her that _she_ is the Alex she wants to be with? She had never felt so special or so happy.

They broke apart and faced their visitors.

“So,” Alex said. “Maybe it’s time to catch up?”

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to TaFuilLiom for listening to me ramble on and on at length about this. She's partially responsible for all of this.


End file.
